I've only got a 9,800 lb bumper pull camper and I ordered the 4.30. Can't speak to how it pulls yet as I'm probably 2 weeks from delivery. Even though mine is a bumper pull now, never know what camper I'm going to get down the road, so I ordered the 5th wheel prep too.

 

You won't take much of a hit in fuel mileage with the 4.30. Considering the extra pulling power, it is well worth considering that gear ratio. I visited 3 dealerships, and each tried to talk me out of the 4.30 rear-end. I didn't listen, ordered my 6.2L with the 4.30, and have been extremely pleased over the past 5,000 miles of driving.

I would seriously urge you, based on not only my experience, but others on the forum, to reconsider the 4.30.

 

I got my truck with the 4.30 gears and I'm very disappointed with my gas mileage. My neighbor got his with the 3.73's and gets a lot better gas mileage and pulls a 10k trailer like me.

 

I have been more than happy with the mileage on my truck. It is better than expected.

When you're hauling, the aerodynamic loading from the trailer plays a huge role in fuel mileage. The faster you haul, the more significant that wind resistance becomes. So many variables affect fuel mileage... heck, my wife drives the same vehicles I do and can eek out another 1 to 2 mpg over what I do.

To date, you're the only person I've seen complain about mileage with the 4.30 gears. Then again, I've only been looking at the 2017 trucks and their fuel mileage.

 

Hi Jon,

What type of gas mileage numbers are you averaging?

Thanks.

 

Get the 4.30 gear. Do it. Now!
The mileage difference is small. After dropping > $50K on a rig, the difference in the cost of fuel, will amount to a weekly burger & fries at your favorite fast food place. And you shouldn't be eating that crap anyway.

 

Agreed!

I would save some money and go with an F250 as opposed to an F350 and use the savings to pay for any fuel mileage differences. With a 3,636 payload capacity and a 15,400 towing capacity (gooseneck), the F250 will legally pull its rated load.

 

Hello,I get about 7mpg towing,10 city and maybe 12mpg on the highway. Every time I take my truck for service they remind me of the poor choice I made with these gears.

 

tjkadar,

Do you believe they tried to talk you out of the 4.30 b/c 3.73s were sitting on the lot?

I can't find any 4.30s...

 

IMO, If you only tow a couple times a year say less then 2000 miles get the 3.73's
If you don't plan on over sized tires or a lift stay with the 3.73's

If you do any of the above get the 4:30's

 

A dealer told me last week that the factory has run out of that axel for the 350s and that it won't be available for ordering for the rest of the 2017 production run. I have no idea if that is accurate.

 

Mine just reached 1000 miles, I have only driven it is city traffic so far and the last tank averaged 12.1 mpg. I am satisfied with that, it can only go up with highway driving and down towing a 5th wheel.

 

I honestly believe that is the case. Once I showed them my excel spreadsheet, they quickly changed their tune. To date, the worst mileage I have seen was 9.8 mpg while pulling 9,000 lbs at 75 mph. Over the past 5,000 or so miles, my average is 13.2 mpg. About 1,800 miles of that is hauling. Mileage includes about every kind of driving you can do too. City, highway, interstate, short hops, longer hauls (350 miles), acceleration runs (because they make me giggle), and running chores on the farm.

To me, the 4.30 really 'wakes' the truck up. The slight loss in mileage, to myself, is virtually unnoticeable. Granted, in the F250 I am also matched to the new transmission too. The combination makes for a great powertrain.

The only thing that will beat it is money and an oil burner.

 

I have had both 4.30 and 3.73. For the last year I had a 2016 F250 Lariat SBCC 4x4 with the 4.30 rear end. I ordered it that way. I liked it and it pulled well for my uses. Over 12,000 miles that I drove it I averaged about 12.8 mpg. If I remember right, I got as high as about 16 mpg driving at 65 empty with no wind. Pulling I got as low and around 10-11 mpg.

My payload was only 2500 lbs and after finding out our new truck camper put it way overweight on the rear axles, we made a decision to trade it in on a 2017 F350 XLT CCSB 4x4 in order to haul our camper safely and within the trucks weight limits. Our new truck has the 3.73's because that is what most of the dealers stock. For me with a truck camper, I am not as concerned about the 4.30's and in fact, this new truck seems to have more pep than my 2016. I also haul ATV's and side x sides but that is about it other than our truck camper on a regular basis.

I have noticed with the 3.73's that I do not hold 6th gear as well as with the 4.30's but I am also running lower RPM's as well. It is definitely a trade off and my opinion at this point, keeping in mind I only have 1600 miles on my new truck, is that unless you are towing a pretty regular basis year round, the 3.73's meet most needs. Like I said, I was hell bent on getting the 4.30's the first time around but am happy with the 3.73's for my needs.

 

I was also planning on ordering a 350 XLT with a 4.30. I ended up with a 2017 350 Lariat with the 3.73. (Long story, see my previous posts)
Anyway I tow about 2000 miles a year with a 7500 lb travel trailer. The remainder of my 15000 per year will be mostly empty, back & forth to work. (12 miles one way)
About 2300 miles on the truck now, lifetime average is 12.4 MPG. Mileage is climbing, last tank was at 13.3 MPG.
I am very happy with the truck, it pulls great so far. I will be going on a longer tow camping in 2 weeks, but from what I have experienced so far I would not hesitate to tow the 12,500 lbs it is rated for.
I am sure the 4.30 would have been good also, but the 3.73 is not the dog everyone seems to make it out to be, in fact I am impressed with how it performs.